[COMBO PACK] JUVENILE OFFENDERS INDIA - A DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE

The above series of charts provides a demographic breakdown juveniles in India.

MOSTLY OLDER TEENAGE BOYS

For the 10 year period between 2001 and 2011, 90% of all juveniles in India have been boys every year. 

Among both boys and girls, more than half the juveniles each year are in the 16-18 year old age group.

MOSTLY EDUCATED YOUTH THAN ILLITERATES

As opposed to common stereotypes, juvenile offenders are not mostly illiterate. More than half the offenders each year have finished primary education or attended high school.

On average only a fourth of offenders each year are illiterate. The proportion of illiterate juveniles actually decreased from a high of 30% in 2004 to 18% in 2011.

Teenagers who have completed high school represented the smallest juvenile segment each year through it more than doubled from 6% in 2001 to 13% in 2011.

MOST OF THEM LIVE WITH PARENTS

On average 70% of juveniles registered each year live with their families. Homeless youth represent less than 7% of juveniles each year 

MOST COME FROM LOWEST INCOME HOUSEHOLDS

On average 64% of juveniles come from the lowest income households i.e. earning only up to Indian Rupees 25,000 a month.

MOST OFFENDERS ARE FIRST TIME OFFENDERS

On average 90% offenders each year were first time offenders.

MOST OFFENDERS ARE AWAITING TRIAL

The biggest problem with the handling of juvenile offenders seems that  more than half of all offenders registered in the courts are awaiting trial.

While the portion of juveniles awaiting trial has decreased from a high of 76% in 2009 to just around 50% in 2011, the trend reveals the lack of strategy in handling juvenile offenders.

As discussed in the previous post, young offenders who spend more time in jail for non-violent crimes awaiting a trial date are more likely to grow into adult criminals.

The data was made available by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation as part of the Indian government’s open data initiative.